Garment-staying device.



M. J. HOFFMAN.

GARMENT STAYING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 10, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5 J/orrv [/Uff/IZGUL COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPII IO-,WASIIINCII'ON, D c.

M. J. HOFFMAN. GARMENT STAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M01, ma" my Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN (IO-,WASHINOTON. u. c.

MORRIS J'. HOFFMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GARMENT-STAYING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.atented Sept. 2, 19.13.

Application filed March 16, 1912. Serial No. 684,324.

To all whom/1'! may concern lie it known that I, Molnns J. Hort-MAN, acitizen ot the United States, residing at ("hicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Inn provementsin Garment-Staying Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garment staying devices for use in sewingstays (tape) on the edges of garments.

it is well known to those skilled in the art that garments such ascoats, over-coats, vests and the like, are provided with stays alongcertain portions of the edges thereof, said stays preferably comprisingstrips of tape sewed in between the facing and the goods for the purposeof giving proper shape to the garment along those edges where they areused and thereafter for maintaining said edges in proper shape. As setforth in a prior application for patent on garment edge-stay positioningdevice, filed by me on November 20, 1911, Serial No. (361292, the frontedges of such garments are worked in that is, fulled in or gathered inmore or less, whereas certain other portions are left in normalcondition. In working in the garment, the feed of the edge-stay (thetape) must be retarded somewhat as compared with the i'eed of the clothitself, and the degree of retardation must be carefully regulated by theoperator to properly work in the garment and thereby give the desiredetlect, and the same degree of retardation must be used to work in bothsides alike, in order that the garment may balance.

The main object of this invention is to provide a device of thischaracter, capable of use in connection with an ordinary sewing machineand adapted to control, the feed of the edge staying means (such as astrip of tape) independent of the feed of the garment itself. and havingregulating means whereby the feed of the stay may be con trolled andregulated at the will of the operator.

Another object is to provide improved means, in connection with edgestay retarding means, for guiding the stay to the presser foot andneedle of the sewing machine, whereby thestay may be fed in a uniform.uninterrupted manner, and without danger of interference with the properworking of the sewing machine.

Another object is to provide simple and improved means to facilitate thesewing on ot the edge-stay around corners or curves of the garment. andwherein the operator may readily adjust the mechanism to conform to thecurved edges around which the operator is sewing.

Another object is to provide a form of garment staying devici adaptableto ditl'erent forms of sewing machines.

Other objects and advantages will be found in the course of thisspecification and with all of said objects and advantages in view, thisinvention consists in the several novel features hereinafter describedand claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings 'turnishedherewith. in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pie tori-ed embodiment of myinvention, looking from the rear and showing the same applied to asimple form of sewing machine head, the latter being illustrated indotted lines, Fig. 2 in a front elevation of the garment staying devicewith its supporting arm partly broken away, Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Fig. l is a detailvertical section taken on the line l-4lof Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a detailvertical cross section taken through a guide, the line of section beingindicated at 55 of Figs. (3 and 7, Fig. (3 is an end view of the machinelooking in the direction oil the arrow (3, at Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a viewpartly in plan and partly in horizontal section, the line of sectionbeing indicated at 7-? in Figs. 2 and (i, Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line 8-8 of Fig. (i, Fig. i) is a detail vertical crosssection taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7, Fig. 10 is a detail end view ofa certain stay tension linger supporting frame with the fingers shown incross section, the line of section being indicated at 'l010 of Fig. 8,Fig. It is a face view of a compression block employed for creatingconn'n'ession between the tension fingers and Fig. 12 is a horizontalsection taken on the lines lil -li of Fig, (3.

Referring to said drawings, which show the preferred embodiment of myinvention, A. represents a sewing machine head as the Singer or of anyother ordinary and well known form of sewing nuichine head having theusual arm I supported upon a table (l, behind which sewing machine headis the garment staying device. represented generally. at D. In itspresent form, the device has a horizontal supportin arm 10, extendingbehind the arm B, of the sewing machine head, and said arm is providedwith a foot 11, arranged to rest upon and be secured to the sewingmachine table. Projecting out from said arm 10, is a spindle 12, forreceiving a spool of tape, shown in dotted lines at 13. Tape is usuallyemployed as an edge stay medium. The forward end of the arm 10, is shownas formed with an upwardly projecting post 14, upon which is revolublymounted a flanged sheave 15, over which the tape E, is trained to run,from said spool to the operative mechanism of the device. A clip 16,secured upon the spindle of the sheave 15, extends over the latter andacts to prevent the tape from slipping off the same. Projectingclownward from the front end of the horizontal supporting arm 10, is avertical arm 17, which is arranged to extend immediately behind the headA, of the sewing machine,

and as more clearly shown in Fig. 6, the post 14, and arm 17, are offsetwith respect to each other, to permit use of the device in connectionwith certain forms of sewing machine heads which have parts that projectinto the space afforded by the offset portion of the arm and post. Onthe arm 17, is a loop 17 that acts to guide the tape from the sheave 15,to the tension or retarding mechanism.

Secured to the arm 17, is a plate 18, that extends forward across theend face of the sewing machine head A, and is arranged to be securedthereto, as for instance by a screw 19, extending through a slot 20,formed in the plate 18, and screwed into the sewing machine head A. Thisconstruction affords simple means for rigidly securing the device infixed position upon the sewing machine head.

Near the bottom of the arm 17 is located tension or retarding mechanismfor con trolling the feed of the edge stay (the tape) and said mechanismis best seen in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11, inclusive. As shown in saidfigures, a frame 21, is employed as a support for said mechanism, saidframe being secured, by means of screws 22, to a flange 23. formed uponthe arm 17, and extending longitudinally of the machine and behind thelower edge of the sewing machine head. Said frame 21, has two parallelend members 24:, that are slotted horizontally as seen in Fig. 10, toreceive the tension fingers 25, 26, and in this instance they are shownas formed of round rods having reduced portions seated in the slots ofthe end pieces 24, and arranged to be movably held therein. A rotatablespindle 27. is carried by said frame 21, and like the fingers 25, 26,has re duced portions lying in the slots of the end members 2 1. Saidspindle is formed with ascrew threaded portion 27 threaded in a block28, having two legs 29, straddling the fingers 25, 2G, and said block isarranged to be moved backward or for ard whenever the spindle 27 isrotated therein. Said. block is formed with a centrally located lug 30,which projects into a groove 31, formed in the adjacent portion of thefinger 2(3, and said lug bears against a compression spring 32, thatpresses against the bottom of said groove. The spring 32, is formed witha reverse curve as best seen in Fig. 8, whereby when the block 28, ismoved toward the left, as viewed in said figure, greater compression isimparted to the spring. One end 27 of the spindle 27, projects beyondone end member 24-, of the frame 21, and as shown is formed with a screwthread upon said end portion, said spindle being adapted to receive andhave secured thereto a handwheel 33, which is clamped in position uponsaid end portion of the spindle between a flanged portion 34-, thereofand a nut 35, threaded upon the screw threaded end portion. If desiredthe handwheel may be pro vided with a handle 36. Upon the periphery ofsaid handwheel are formed notches 37 that cooperate with a springpointer or index arm 38, to hold the handwheel stationary whenever anyof such notches is brought in to register with the pointer. The notchesare numbered consecutively, or otherwise identified by arbitrarycharacters whereby the operator may determine how far the handwheel mustbe turned to produce the degree of compression of the spring 32,required to effect the desired retardation of the tape passing betweenthe gripping fingers. In testing the device, if it is found that theaction. of the spring is either too weak or too strong when a givenpoint on the handwheel is brought into register with the pointer, thenut 35, may be partly unscrewed and the handwheel turned upon itsspindle, either backward or for ward (depending upon whether the springis too tight or too loose) and thereafter the nut 35, is screwed up,thus setting the handwheel. in position where the several indicatincharacters correspond with the degrees of compression. Turning thehandwheel to bring the higher indicating members into register with thepointer increases the compression; at Zero there is no compression.

A cover 39, is provided to inclose the greater part of the tensionmechanism and as shown in Fig. 10, is secured in place by bringing itsside edges between the flange 23, and frame 21. An end piece 40, issecured to said cover 39, and covers one end of the box formed by thecover 39, and frame 21, said end piece being formed with openings toreceive the protruding ends of the fingers 25, 26.

A guide clip 41, (see Figs. 1, 6 and 7) shown as supported by an L.shaped rod 42, secured to the arm 17, is arranged for use in connectionwith the tension lingers 25, 26, said guide clip being formed with aslot 12", through which the tape passes from the guide loop .17, to thetension lingers.

Below the tension or stay retarding mechanism, the arm 17, is formedwith a barrel 43, extending parallel with the lingers 25, 2b, andarranged to receive the supporting spindle 44, of a tape guide 45; saidspindle 44, is shown as formed with a screw threaded end portion 46,threaded in an internally screw threaded hollow adjusting stem 47,Formed with a knurled head 48, upon its outer end and sliding in anexternally threaded thimble 49, secured upon an internally threadedportion of the barrel The inner end of the hollow stem is shown asformed with a flange F-O, against which rests a washer 51, and betweensaid washer and the end wall at the other end of the barrel is a. coiledsprin 52, that srnrrounds the spindle 44, and acts to yieldingly pressthe movable parts in a direction toward the right as viewed in Fig. 8;the flange 50, strikes against the end of the thimble 49, and limits themovement of the parts in that direction. It is obvious that by pressingupon the head 4-8, the spindle 44, and its cmmected guide -45, may bemoved toward the left, and that by turning the hollow stem 47, in theproper direction, the spindle 44, and parts connected therewith may bemoved in either a right or left hand direction, depending upon thedirection in which the hollow stem is turned. The object of thisadjustment is to enable the operator to bodily move the guide 45, towardthe right or leftso as to bring its terminal. end into proper alinementwith the needle of the sewing machine.

The spindle 44, is shown as formed with a forked head 53, upon its outerend, upon which is fulcrumed an arm 54, as by a pin 54, and having atail piece lying within the head 53, and yieldingly pressed in onedirection, by a spring 56, confined in a socket formed in the head andbearing against the tail piece 55. A strip 53*, secured to the head 53,on its sides acts as a stop for the tail piece The arm 54, av tendsforward from the head 53, and its forward end is bent laterally, as seenin Fig. 7 and secured to said lateral portion is the guide plate 45,which, as shown, is rigidly secured to the arm 54, but capable of alimted amount of angular adjustment with respect thereto. As shown, saidarm 54, is slotted to receive the upper end of the guide plate 45, andthe latter is secured to the arm by a pin 57, upon which it turns. Asecond pin 58, threaded in the arm and bearing against the under side ofthe guide, acts to hold it in any desired position. Secured to andprojecting over the bent portion oi the arm 54, is a clip 59, underwhich the tape may be trained. The guide 15, projects l'orward beyondthe needle oi the sewing machine and in the form shown, it is providedwith tape retaining side flanges 60, and its terminal end 61, curves(lOWlHtlltl and back; in addition thereto it is twisted sidc wisesomewhat (see l igs. 2, 5, 7) to change the angle at which the tapeenters the guide to a ditl'ercnt one where the tape leaves the guide amlpasses under the presser toot oi the sewing machine. This curved andtwist-- ed 'lcature oi the guide is quite important, inasmuch as itpermits the tape to be brought down upon one side of the head of themachine and its needle, and therea'tter guided to move in a straightline. from front to back, toward the needle and presser foot. making itpossible for the operator to continuously watch the needle during hiswork. .lrc'terably the extreme end oi the guide 45, is provided with aneye (52, through which the tape passes on its way to the presser toot.finger 623, secured to the presser toot and extending underneath the arm54, acts to limit the downward movell'ltlltfl'i the guide 45, and saidtingeris so positioned that the terminal end (it said guide is raisedslightly above the table oi the n|achine whereby the garment will betree to move thereunder.

In the operation of the device, the tape is threaded over the sheave1:), through the loop 17, through the slot in the guide clip 41, betweenthe fingers 25, 26, under the clip 5!), and around the guide 45. Thegarment: to be worked in then placed on the machine table with its edgeunderneath the presser foot and the end of the tape laid on saidgarment, after which the presser foot is lowered and the machinestarted, the handwheel having been set to the proper point to give thedesired tension to the tape. it it becomes necessary therea'tter, insewing on the tape, to change the degree of retardation or tension onthe tape, the handwhecl is turned (when necessary) in the properdirection. \Vhen the operator sews around curves on the garment, theoperator handles the garment with one hand and swings the guide upon itstulcrum 54- with a linger oi the other hand. lVhen the garment isfinished, the operator cuts the tape and raises the guide up out at theway by swinging it upon its horizontal. pivot. Tn adjusting the guidewith respect to the sewing machine needle, the guide is lowered to placeand the stem 47, turned forward or backward thereby bodily shifting theguide to the right or to the left, and bringing its terminal end, at theproper location in front of the needle to direct the tape toward it.

I am aware that various alterations and modifications oi this device arepossible without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined inthe claims, and I do not therefore desire to limit myself to the exactconstruction shown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of tape-spoolsupporting means, located in the rear of a sewing machine arm and abovea work support, a tension device, a tape guiding scroll, means forsupporting the upper end of said scroll at a predetermined height abovethe bed plate of a sewing machine, said scroll being bent in spiral formto extend forwardly, downwardly, laterally and thence rearwardly withits lower end substantially in the vertical plane of a sewing machinepresser foot while extending toward said foot, means for pivotallysupporting said scroll upon an axis at right angles to the direction ofmovement of the sewing machine feed and means for laterally adjustingsaid scroll.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of tape-spoolsupporting means, a tape-guiding scroll for guiding the tape downwardly,laterally and rearwardly to a presser-foot, said scroll being attachedto an arm extending forwardly from a rock-bar arranged substantially atright angles to the path of the work and means for moving said rock-barlongitudinally.

In a device of the class described, the combination of tape-spoolsupporting means, tension controlling means, a tape guide-scroll forguiding the tape clownwardly, laterally and rearwardly to apresser-foot, a rock-bar arranged substantially at right angles to thepath of the tape after leaving said guide-scroll, an arm jointedlyconnected to said rock-bar and having its forward end rigidly attachedto said guide-scroll and means for yieldingly holding said arm in anormal position with respect to said rock-bar.

t. In a device of the class described, the combination of tape-spoolsupporting means, a tape guiding scroll for guiding the tape downwardly,laterally and rearwardly to a presser-foot, said scroll being attachedto an arm extending forwardly from a predetermined point at the rear ofthe sewingmachine head, the rear end of said arm being supported upon ahorizontal axis.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of tape-spoolsupporting means, a tape-guiding scroll for guiding the tape downwardly,laterally and rearwardly to a pressenfoot, said scroll being supportedupon an arm extending forwardly from a predetermined point at the rearof the sewing-machine head, the rear end of said arm being supportedupon a horizontally disposed rock-bar to which it is jointly connectedand yielding means for holding it at a predetermined angle to the axisof the bar.

6. A device of the character described, in which is combined asruoporting arm, edge-stay retarding mechanism carried thereby, and aguide associated with said retarding mechanism, said guide having afixed support and having its terminal end located forward of the needleof a sewing machine head and curved down and back upon itself from aposition at one side of the needle to onedirectly in front thereof andarranged to guide an edge-stay, coming from said retarding mechanism,toward and under the presser foot of a sewing machine head.

T. A device of the character described, in which is combined asupporting arm having a raised horizontal portion arranged to lieimmediately back of the arm of a sewing machine head, edge-stayretarding mechanism, carried by said arm and located back of the needleof said sewing machine head, and an edge-stay guide carried by said armand having its terminal end located in front of said needle and curveddown and back upon itself from a position at one side of the needle toone directly in front thereof and arranged to guide an edge-stay, comingfrom said retarding mechanism, in a direction to and under the presserfoot, of said sewing machine head in an approximately horizontal plane.

8. A device of the character described, in which is combined asupportingarm, arranged to extend behind the arm of a sewing machine head,edge-stay retarding mechanism carried by said arm, and an edge-stayguide pivotally' supported upon said arm and having its terminal endlocated in front of the presser foot and needle of said sewing machinehead, and curved down and back upon itself from a position at one sideof the needle to one directly in front thereof and arranged to guide anedge-stay, coming from said retarding mechanism, toward and under thesaid foot, in an approximately horizontal plane.

9. A device of the character described, in which is combined asupporting arm, arranged to be located behind the arm of a sewingmachine head, edge-stay retarding mechanism, carried thereby, anedge-stay guide having its terminal end located in front of the presserfoot and needle of said sewing machine head and curved down and backupon itself from a position at one side of the needle to one directly infront thereof and arranged to guide an edge-stay, coming from saidretarding mechanism, toward and under said foot in an approximatelyhorizontal plane, a horizontal pivot connection between said supportingarm and guide, whereby said guide may be swung up and down, and avertical pivot connection for said guide whereby it may be swung in ahorizontal plane.

10. A device of the character described, in which is combined anedge-stay retarding device arranged to be located behind the presserfoot and needle of a sewing machine head, and an edge-stay guide havinga terminal end located in front of said presser foot and needle, andcurved down and back upon itself from a position at one side of theneedle to one directly in front thereof and arranged to direct andedge-stay coming from said retarding mechanism, toward and under saidfoot in an approximately horizontal line extending from front to back ofthe machine.

11. A device of the character described, in which is combined astationary support, edge-stay retarding mechanism having tension fingersbetween which an edge-stay is run, and an edge-stay guide associatedtherewith and having a spindle, spring pressed in one direction, andslidably mounted in said support, and capable of being shifted bodilywith respect to said tingers and in a lateral direction; substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

12. A device of the character set forth, in which is combined a support,edge-stay retarding mechanism carried thereby, an edgestay guide havinga supporting spindle slidably mounted in said support, and means forbodily moving said spindle on its support and therewith said guide;substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. A device of the character described, in which is combined a support,an edge-stay guide having a supporting spindle threaded upon its end andslidably and rotatively mounted in said support, a thimble secured insaid support, a hollow stem having a head upon one end and mounted uponthe screw threaded end of said spindle, said stem being rotatively andslidably mounted in said thimble, and a compression spring arranged toyieldingly hold said stem against said thimble.

1 1. A device of the character described, in

which is combined a horizontal, rotatable, supporting spindle, an armpivoted thereon on a vertical line, a spring for yieldingly holding saidarm in one position, but capable of yielding to permit said arm to beswung upon its pivot, and an edge-stay guide carried by said arm;substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

15. In a device of the class described, edge-stay retarding mechanismlocated be.- hind the head of a sewing machine, and a tape guide pivotedupon a horizontal pivot and capable of being swung upward into aniii-operative position, a portion of said tape guide being locatedforward of the sewing machine needle and having a guiding channel.curved down and back upon itself from a position at one side of theneedle to one directly in front thereof; substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

16. In a device of the class described, a pivotally supported tapeguide, capable of being swung into iii-operative position, said guidehaving a. downwa rd ly and baclavardly curved channel, tern'iinating ina horizontal straight eye, said channel extending from a position at oneside of the needle to one directly in front thereof and arranged toreverse the movement of an edge-stay, and direct the same under theneedle of a sewing machine .in a horizontal line. running from front toback thereof.

17. In a device of the class described, an edge-stay guide having a stayreceiving portion lying in one plane and curved down and back at itsterminal end, said terminal end being twisted laterally to direct theoutgoing stay to a line of movement angularly disposed with respect tothe incoming stay.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of March1912, at Chicago, (look county, Illinois.

MORR [S J. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses CHARLES 0. Summer, FANNIE F. Rrclmnns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

